Rewinding apparatus for gas-machine motors



APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, I920- Patented Sept. 27, 192-1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ER. ATHERTON, OF MAQUOKETA, IOWA.

Application filed April 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ER. A'ri-mR'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maquoketa, R. R. 5, in the county of J ackson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rewinding Apparatus for Gas-Machine Motors, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates more par ticularly to mechanism for actuating the blowers of gas machines, and the object is to provide a simple and effective combination that can be readily installed and will make the apparatus automatic in its character.

The accompanying drawing is a view in elevation of the mechanism, and showing the same partly in a diagrammatic manner. As is well known these blowers are.

usually actuated by a weight motor, and when the weight has run down to its lowermost limit, it has to be elevated by hand. It is the purpose of the present invention to eliminate this manual rewinding. In the accompanying drawing, the blower of the gas machine is designated 1, and may be of any well known construction. The rotary shaft 2 thereof is provided with a drum 3, on which a cable 4 is wound, and from which it unwinds. A weight 5 is provided with a pulley 6, around which the cable passes, said cable also passing around another pulley 7 suitably suspended, as illustrated at 8. So far as thus described, the mechanism is well known. As will be obvious, as the weight 5 moves downwardly, the cable 4 unwinds from the drum 3, causing the rotation of said drum and the blower shaft 2.

In the structure disclosed, the said drum 3 is provided with a pulley 9, around which passes an endless belt 10 that also passes around a pulley 11 on the shaft of an electric motor 12. This electric motor is supplied with current from leads 13, in one of which is located a knife switch 14 and having a movable knife or arm 15 that controls the electric circuit, which includes the motor 12. The switch 14 is mounted on a suitable supporting standard 16, and another standard 17 is disposed alongside the weight 5. On the standard 17 are fulcrumed upper and lower bell crank levers 18 and 19. The arm 20 of the lever 18 projects into the path of the weight 5 above the same, and the lower Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

1920. Serial NO. 372,273.

bellcrank 19 has one of its arms 21 also proectmg into the path of the weight 5, but below the same. The other two arms 22 and 23 of the bell cranks have suitable cable con nections 24 and25 with the movable member 15 of the switch 14. I

It will be clear that with this combination when the weight 5 descends a sufficient distance, it will strike the arm 21 of the bell crank 19, thereby drawing upon the cablev 25, and closing the switch 15. As a consequence, the motor 12 will be thrown into operation and the drum 3 rotated in a direction to wind the cable 4 thereupon and elevate the weight 5. As the said weight 5 approaches the upper limit of its movement, it will strike the arm 20 of the bell crank 18, thereby swinging said bell crank to a position to open the switch 15, and cut off the current from the motor 12. The weight is now free to descend and actuate the blower. The structure, it will be noted, is entirely automatic in operation, and insures at all times the proper operation of the blower. Moreover, the mechanism is very simple, so that. it can be readily installed and may be utilized with any well known type of gas apparatus.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and -it will be understood thatvarious changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a winding drum, of a weight, a cable supporting the weight and adapted to wind upon and unwind from the drum, an electric motor geared to the drum for operating the same to wind the cable on the drum, bell cranks pivotally supported respectively above and below the weight and each comprising angularly disposed arms, one of which projects into the path of the weight, an electric switch controlling the electric motor and having a movable member that has a support independent of the crank arms, and flexible cables connected to the other arms of the bell cranks and to the movable member of the switch to respectively move it in opposite directions.

2. The combination with a winding drum, of a weight, a cable supporting the weight and adapted to wind upon and unwind from the drum, an electric motor geared to the drum for operating the same to wind the cable on the drum, spaced supports alongside the path of the weight, crank arms mounted on one of the supports respectively above and below the weight and having arms projecting into the path of said weight, an electric switch controlling the motor and mounted on the other support 15 and including a pivoted make and break member, and cables connecting the arms to the pivoted make and break member of the switch for actuating the latter.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa- 20 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

ER. ATHERTON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. R. MfiLLER, G. W. ANDERSON. 

